Coil positioning mechanism



-May 10, 19,55 H. H. sHAKELY COIL PosITroNING MECHANISM 5 sheets-sneer l14 Filed oct. 2, 1951 Bnvemor (Ittorneg -Vlr-fv?vrmam HSIMKELY May 10, 1955 H. IH. sHAKELY I 2,708,078

con.l PosITIoNING MECHAN'ISM Filed oct.- 2 ,l 1951 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Snvenfor 75, HomRDHSIMKEL Y /'/7///////7///////////// Gttorneg May 10, 195.5 H. H. sHAKELY 2,708,078.

COIL PosITIoNINGYMEcHANIsM Filed oct. 2, 1951 :s sheets-sheet s nventor How/MRD H SMKELY Gttomeg United States Patent COIL POSITIoNING MECHANISM Howard H. Shakely, Pittsburgh, Pa., assignor to Jones & Laughlin Steel Corporation, Pittsburgh, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Application October 2, 1951, Serial No. 249,341

12 Claims. (Cl. 242-79) This invention relates to apparatus ,for positioning coils of strip or the like for rolling in a rolling mill and is more particularly concerned with apparatus for successively positioning coils of hot rolled steel strip for rolling in a tandem cold rolling mill.

The rolling of continuous strip is usually carried out in two stages. In the first stage, slabs of steel are heated and hot rolled in a continuous hot rolling mill to an intermediate product known as hot rolled band. This hot rolled band, which may be a quarter inch thick or more, is coiled as it leaves the hot mill and may be stored in such coils for varying periods of time before it is taken to the cold rolling mill for reduction to a desired thickness. The length of a coil of hot band is, of course, limited by the size of the slab from which it is rolled. In the cold rolling stage, successive coils of hot band are brought into position at the entry end of the mill, uncoiled and rolled through the mill. After the trailing end of a coil has passed through the entry stand of the cold mill, it is necessary to introduce the leading end of the next coil and the time required for this procedure is, of course, unproductive time for the cold rolling mill. It is, therefore, desirable to cha-nge from an exhausted to a fresh coil of hot rolled material as rapidly as possible. Prior to my invention this changeover operation has depended to a considerable degree on manual labor. Mechanical appliances have, of course, long been used to transport the coils of hot rolled strip to the mill but no satisfactory mechanical apparatus has been available for positioning successive coils for quick changeover; for uncoiling the leading end of a fresh 1.

coil, and for guiding this end into the mill directly upon the rolling of the trailing end of the preceding coil.

It is an object therefore of my invention to provide fully mechanical means for positioning successive coils of hot rolled material for rolling one after another in a cold rolling mill or the like. It is another object to provide fully mechanical means for uncoiling the leading end of a hot rolled coil end so positioning this end that it can enter the mill immediately upon the rolling of the trailing end of the preceding coil. It is another object of my invention to provide improved means for leading strip from a coil into a mill. Other objects will appear in the course of the following description of my invention.

My invention contemplates broadly the provision of three steps or stations in the transfer of the coil from stock to its rolling in the mill. Each of these stations requires appropriate apparatus for manipulating the coil, which I have invented. The first station in the passage of coil from stock to the mill I denominate my coil station and is merely a temporary resting place upon which the coil is deposited by overhead crane or other well known means. From this coil station my apparatus advances the coil at the appropriate time to the second station which I denominate the coil feeder. In the coil feeder my apparatus uncoils the leading end and makes ready to introduce this end into the mill. While my coil is in the coil feeder its leading end is introduced by appropriate apparatus into the mill immediately after the trailing end of the preceding coil has been rolled. The coil is then transferred from this coil Vfeeder .to .the third station called the coil box where it remains luntil it has been completely uncoiled and rolled. The ,apparatus of my invention will be more clearly understood by reference to a present preferred embodiment thereofillustrated in the attached gures.

Figure l is a side elevation, partly in section, of apparatus embodying my invention.

Figure 2 is a plan view of a portion thereof taken on the plane II-II of Figure 1. v

Figures 3a and 3b are side elevations of a portion or" such apparatus, the view being broken into -twoiparts to obtain a larger scale. l

Figure 4 is a cross section through the apparatus .of Figure 3b taken on the plane 1V-IV.

Figure 5 is a plan view of apparatus comprising `my coil feeder, being a portion of the apparatus shown in. Figure l. Certain portions of the apparatus arefnot shown in this gure, in order that details `ordinarily concealed by such portion may be visible.

Figure 6 is an end elevation of my coil feeder viewed from the entry end.

Figure 7 is an elevation in section through a portionv of Figure 6 on the plane VII-VII.

Figure 8 is an elevation in section through a portion of Figure 6 on the plane VIII-VIII. i

In these gures a roll stand 1 is shown as provided with work rolls 2 2 and back-up rolls 3 3. At the; entry side of roll stand 1 structural member 4 supports a table 5 which is tiltably mounted to move about a horizontal axis 6. Air cylinder 7 and piston -8 raise and lower the free end of table 5. Adjoining this is 'a coil box 10 which comprises freely rotatable :horizontal rolls 11-11 which support a coil of strip 12 and :also

rolls 13-13-13 against which the coil 12 rests as it is being uncoiled during rolling. Adjoining coil box l10 "is,

a framework comprising vertical elements 16-16' jour-v nalling upper and lower pinch rolls 19 and 20 respectively, and horizontal element 17. Upper pinch .roll 19.A

is provided with coupling means 21 liexibly connecting it with driving means 22 which may be an electric motor or any other conventional means. The pinch rolls 19 and 20 are also provided with air operated screwdowns 23-23 which enable these rolls to be brought together or separated. The strip 25 from coil 12 passes up around lower pinch roll 20 over a strip guide 26 which bridges the coil box and also over table 5 into the work rolls 2 2 of the mill.

Pinch rolls 19 and 2t) are provided with entry guides` comprising upper members 28-28 and lower members 29-29. Upper and lower guides 28 and 29 are mounted so that they may be moved together toward or away from the strip in a path at right angles to the direction ofstrip travel. Upper and lower guides 28 and 29 are sim-` ilarly mounted. Upper and lower guides 28 and 29 areattached to a horizontal member 31 provided at its inner'. end with rack teeth 32. Upper and lower guides ,28 and 29 are attached to a horizontal member `33 provided at its inner end with rack teeth 34. A pinion 35, en-

' gaging both sets of rack teeth 32 and 34, is positioned on a member 36 which is mounted for sliding movement, horizontally in a direction perpendicular to the axis .of

the strip. This movement of member 36 is effected by. screw 38 and nut 39. Screw 38 is terminated at its outside end in a tting 40 which may be engaged by a Wrench pinion 35, member 31 as well, so moving the two pairs of guides inwardly or outwardly together. These two pairs of guides in any position are always equdistant from pinion 35. The pair of guides 23 and 29 are pivotally mounted at their inner ends on horizontal shaft 44 and the pair of guides 28 and 29 are likewise pivotally mounted at their inner ends on a similar horizontal shaft not shown. Side plates 45 and 45' affixed to these guides are pivotally connected to links 46 and 46 which in turn are pivotally connected to lever arms 47 and 47. These lever arms are slidably mounted on square shaft 50 which extends across the pinch roll stand parallel to pinch rolls 19 and 20. This square shaft 50 is provided at a point near its center with a crank arm 51 which is pivotally connected to the piston rod 53 of an air cylinder 54 which is pivotally mounted on the member 17. Air cylinder 54 may be operated to raise or lower the two pairs of strip guides through the mechanism described, and will do so irrespective of lateral movement of the guides previously mentioned.

Immediately ahead of pinch rolls 19 and 20 is a rotatably mounted driven roll 56 and freely rotatable roll 57 mounted on swinging arm 58 pivoted about a horizontal shaft 60. Drive means 61 which again may be an electric motor and suitable gearing 55 are provided for roll 56. An air cylinder 62 and piston 63 permit swinging arm 58 to be raised and lowered about its pivot 60. Floor structure 64 fills the space between the lower position of roll 57 and the coil box.

Immediately ahead of my coil feeder is located my coil station which is merely a space on the mill floor 66 dened by a retractable stop 67. This stop 67 is provided with air cylinder 68 and piston 69 for raising and lowering.

The apparatus l provide for moving coils from the coil station into the coil feeder comprises a telescoping frame having a stationary member 70 and a movable member 71. The stationary member 70 is prevented from moving laterally or longitudinally by a shaft 72 which passes through this frame and is journalled in members 73-73 rigidly attached to the mill floor. This mounting permits member 70 to pivot about shaft 72. Movable member 71 is provided with rollers 75-75 which roll within the stationary member 70 and also with rollers 76 which roll on the mill oor and support its front end. Movable member 71 is caused to move in and out of stationary member 70 by air cylinder 80 pivotally mounted on pivots 81--81' journalled in brackets 82--82 afnxed to member 70. The piston rod 84 of air cylinder 80 is attached at its far end to movable member 71.

Member 71 at its free end is provided with a structure 90 which supports a freely rotatable horizontal roll 91. Structure 90 journals a shaft 93 pivotally supporting a frame 94 which in turn at its outer end supports freely rotatable roll 96. Tension springs 92-92 attached at one end to frame 94 and at the other to structure 90 urge frame 94 backwards. Structure 90 also journals a horizontal shaft 97 pivotally supporting a frame 98 which at its outer end supports a freely rotatable roll 99. Tension springs 100-100 attached at one end to frame 98 and at the other to structure 90 urge frame 98 upwards. An endless belt 102 encircles the three rolls 91, 96, and 99 and is held taut by the tension springs 92-92 and 100--100 previously described.

It will be understood that the fluid operated cylinders mentioned in the above description and shown in the figures are connected to appropriate sources of tiuid and electric motors shown are connected to suitable power lines. Suitable controls for these various pieces of apparatus are also provided but are not illustrated or described since they are well known in the art and in themselves form no part of my invention.

In describing the operation of my apparatus, it will be assumed to begin with that a full coil of strip is in place in the coil box and being rolled in the mill. WhiC this strip is being rolled, my telescoping coil moving apparatus is caused to retract to the position shown by the broken lines in Figure l by admitting air to the appropriate end of air cylinder 80. This retraction is eected by movable member 71 sliding within stationary member 70. Retractable stop 67 at my coil station is raised by admitting air to the proper end of air cylinder 68. A fresh coil of hot band is then taken from stock and placed in position at my coil station by known means, such as an overhead crane. It will be understood that this coil is positioned so that its outside end when uncoiled will pass over the coil and into the mill, that is, the coil is coiled counterclockwise as viewed in Figure 1. Stop 67 in its raised position prevents the coil in my coil station from moving into my coil feeder. My coil feeder is then made ready to receive a coil by admitting air to air cylinder 62 which raises movable arm 58 carrying roll 57. The channel guides 28-29 and 2829' are separated a distance suicient to clear the strip by admitting air to the proper end of air cylinder 43. As has been mentioned, sliding member 33 is attached to the piston rod 42 of air cylinder 43, and this member 33 carries the channel guides 28-29. The channel guides 28-29 are carried by sliding member 31. Members 31 and 33 are provided with rack teeth 32 and 34 on their inner faces, and these teeth engage with pinion 35 so that movement of member 33 in one direction causes a corresponding movement of member 31 in the opposite direction. Stop 67 is retracted by admitting air to the appropriate end of cylinder 68, and my coil moving apparatus is advanced against the coil by admitting air to the outer end of cylinder 80. The exible belt 102 carried by my coil moving mechanism makes contact with the outer surface of the coil and conforms itself to this surface as the coil is rolled into my coil feeder.

With the coil in the coil feeder, pinion 35 is aligned with the center line of the coil, if necessary, by rotation of screw 38 which causes member 36 carrying pinion 35 to move transversely. Channel guides 28--29 and 28-29 are caused to pivot upwardly or downwardly about their inner ends until they are tangent to the coil circumference by action of air cylinder 54. It will be seen that movement of piston rod 53 of air cylinder 54 causes a movement of crank arm 51 to which it is connected. Crank 51 is mounted on square shaft 50 which also carries crank arms 47-47 at either end. These latter crank arms are connected to links 46-46, which in turn are connected to end plates 45-45 carrying the channel guides 28-29 and 28-29'. Crank arms 47-47 are not rigidly attached to square shaft 50 but are capable of sliding thereon so that they may move along such shaft when the channel guides are moved inward or outward by air cylinder 43.

The coil in my coil feeder rests on rolls 56--57, the former being provided with a drive means comprising a motor 61 and a gear box 55. It is now necessary to guide the outer end of the coil into the channel guides, and this is done by rotating driven roll 56 which causes the whole coil to rotate in a counterclockwise direction as viewed in Figure l. The outer end of the coil is prevented from uncoiling by my flexible belt 102 which conforms itself to the circumference of the coil and is maintained in that position by the spring tensioned rolls 96-99 over which this belt travels. As the coil is caused to rotate by my driven roll 56, the outer end is held against the body of the coil by my belt 102. This end reaches my channel guides 28-29 and 28'-29, which are at this point drawn together so as to receive the outer end of the coil, and is guided to pinch rolls 19 and 20. The movement of roll 56 is stopped just before the outer end of the coil in my coil feeder reaches the pinch rolls, since the strip 25 coming from the coil in coil box 10 passes over roll 20 during rolling. As soon as the trailing end of the coil being rolled has passed over pinch roll 20, motor 61 is started up causing roll 56 to rotate, which in turn advances the outer end of the coil in my coil feeder into pinch rolls 19-20. These rolls are brought together by action of the screw downs 23-23', and motor 22 which drives upper pinch roll 19 is started up. These pinch rolls then pull through the outer end of the coil in the coil feeder, advancing it over strip guide 26 which bridges my coil box, and over tilting table 5. This leading end of the new coil follows directly behind the trailing end of the strip going through the mill and may be introduced into work rolls 2 2 of the mill in this way as soon as the trailing end of the previous coil has passed through. Table 5 may be raised or lowered by means of air cylinder 7 to guide the leading end of the new coil into the rolls.

When the leading end of the coil in my coil station has passed into the mill, table 5 is dropped so that it makes no contact with the strip and the screw downs 23-23' are operated to separate pinch rolls 19-20. As lower pinch roll 20 rotates freely, the strip passes freely over it, Channel guides 28-29 and 28-29 are now retracted to either side a distance sufficient to clear the strip entirely and air cylinder 62 is operated to lower arm 58. The coil in my coil feeder then rolls down over roll 57 into coil box 10 where it is supported by freely rotating rolls 11-11 and rests against similar rolls 13--13. It remains in this location until it is entirely uncoiled and rolled through the mill. While this coil is being rolled, a new coil may be set down at the coil station and the above described process repeated. My invention makes it possible to have two new coils on hand at all times, one in the coil feeder, and the other in the coil station as is indicated in Figure l.

It will be appreciated that my invention greatly reduces the time required to change coils in the rolling of strip and also reduces almost to nothing the manual labor necessary for this operation.

Although I have described and illustrated a present preferred embodiment of my invention, it is not to be considered limited thereto, but may be otherwise embodied or practiced within the scope of the appended claims.

T claim:

l. Apparatus for positioning successive coils of strip for rolling in a rolling mill comprising a pair of pinch rolls, a coil box positioned adjacent the exit side of the pinch rolls, first strip guide means adapted to guide strip from the pinch rolls over the coil box, a coil feeder positioned adjacent the entry side of the pinch rolls, second strip guide means positioned to guide strip from the coil feeder into the pinch rolls, and means for transferring a coil from the coil feeder into the coil box.

2. Apparatus as in claim l in which the pinch rolls are mounted on a gantry under which a coil of strip may pass from the coil feeder to the coil box and are provided with drive means for the upper pinch roll and means for separating and bringing together the pinch rolls.

3. Apparatus as in claim l in which the first strip guide means include a table at their end remote from the pinch rolls pivoted at its end nearer the pinch rolls for movement about a horizontal axis parallel to the pinch rolls.

4. Apparatus for positioning successive coils of strip for rolling in a rolling mill comprising a pair of pinch rolls, a coil box positioned adjacent the exit side of the pinch rolls` first strip guide means adapted to guide strip from the pinch rolls over the coil box, a coil feeder positioned adjacent the entry side of the pinch rolls, second strip guide means positioned to guide strip from the coil feeder into the pinch rolls. and movable means adapted to move a coil into the coil feeder and prevent its uncoiling during such movement.

5. Apparatus for positioning successive coils of strip for rolling in a rolling mill comprising a pair of pinch rolls, a coil feeder positioned adjacent the entry side of the pinch rolls and below them, and a pair of channel guides positioned at the entry side of the pinch rolls to engage each edge of the strip, these guides being pivotally mounted at their ends adjacent the pinch rolls and provided with means for raising or lowering them about such pivots to receive strip from coils of different diameters.

6. Apparatus for positioning successive coils of strip for rolling in a rolling mill comprising a pair of pinch rolls, a coil feeder positioned adjacent the entry side of the pinch rolls and below them, a pair of channel guides positioned at the entry side of the pinch rolls to engage each edge of the strip, and means for retracting these guides laterally so as to clear the strip.

7. Apparatus for positioning successive coils of strip for rolling in a rolling mill comprising a pair of pinch rolls, a coil feeder positioned adjacent the entry side of the pinch rolls and below them, a pair of channel guides positioned at the entry side of the pinch rolls to engage each edge of the strip, each channel guide being attached to a rack adapted for lateral motion, a freely rotatable pinion engaging both racks and mounted on a member adapted for lateral adjustment, means for imparting lateral movement to one rack whereby through the pinion an equal but oppositely directed lateral movement is likewise imparted to the other rack, and means for adjusting the lateral position of the pinion.

8. Apparatus for positioning successive coils of strip for rolling in a rolling mill comprising a pair of pinch rolls, a coil box positioned adjacent the exit side of the pinch rolls, at least two rotatable horizontal rolls positioned adjacent the entry side of the pinch rolls and below them so as to support a coil of strip, means for raising and lowering the rotatable roll immediately adjacent the pinch rolls so that in its raised position it prevents a coil of strip from rolling off the rotatable horizontal rolls, but in its lowered position permits such movement.

9. Apparatus for positioning successive coils of strip for rolling in a rolling mill comprising a pair of pinch rolls, a coil box positioned adjacent the exit side of the pinch rolls, at least two rotatable horizontal rolls positioned adjacent the entry side of the pinch rolls and below them but above the coil box so as to support a coil of strips, and means for raising and lowering the rotatable roll immediately adjacent the pinch rolls so that when lowered it permits a coil of strip to roll by gravity into the coil box.

10. Apparatus for positioning successive coils of strip for rolling in a rolling mill comprising in spaced linear relation a pair of pinch rolls, a coil feeder, a coil station, and movable means adapted to move a coil from the coil station into the coil feeder and to engage the outer surface of the coil so as to prevent uncoiling during such movement, and means to guide strip from the coil feeder into the pinch rolls.

11. Apparatus for positioning successive coils of strip for rolling in a rolling mill comprising in spaced linear relation a coil feeder, a coil station, and movable means adapted to move the coil from the coil station into the coil feeder provided with a iiexible endless belt mounted so as to conform itself to a portion of the surface of a coil of strip upon engagement therewith.

l2. Apparatus for positioning successive coils of strip for rolling in a rolling mill comprising in spaced linear relation a coil feeder, a coil station, and movable means adapted to move a coil from the coil station into the coil feeder provided with an endless belt mounted about at least three freely rotating horizontal rolls so disposed that the belt face adjacent a coil of strip is supported by upper and lower rolls only, at least one of the rolls being mounted so as to maintain tension in the belt.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 452,889 McIlvried May 26, 1891 1,872,045 Smitrnans Aug. 16, 1932 1,943,748 Talbot Jan. 16, 1934 1,953,092 Yoder Apr. 13, 1934 2,172,616 Klein Sept. l2, 1939 2,309,781 OBrien Feb. 2, 1943 2,485,961 Duby Oct. 25, 1949 

